| Newman among long list of disappointed short timers | Thursday 11/20, 5:45 PM CT |
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Ryan Newman fought an ill-handling car to finish 21st, according to a team press release.
Our View: "The way that we ran tonight, I guess I'm glad that the season is over. We really struggled tonight, and that's not how I wanted this last race to go," Newman said. |
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| Kenseth re-signs with Roush | Thursday 11/20, 3:09 PM CT |
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Matt Kenseth has signed a multi-year extension with Roush-Fenway Racing, according to a team press release. The length or terms of the contract were not divulged.
Our View: Kenseth has been with the organization 11 years—which makes him the senior statesman. |
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| McMurray goes out with a bang | Thursday 11/20, 11:43 AM CT |
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The season ended with a bang for Jamie McMurray, he told reporters in post-race media availability: "there's not really anything different. If you looked back and paid attention to our team, for the last three months, we've had just really fast cars and didn't have much to show for it. And for the last two months, we've had things just kind of go our way. Obviously, the last month has just been incredible."
Our View: The real test is going to be whether this momentum can survive the off-season. As talented as Roush-Fenway Racing is, we're betting on "yes." |
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| R Gordon prepares for Baja | Thursday 11/20, 10:00 AM CT |
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While other drivers take a few weeks off following the Ford 400, Robby Gordon is preparing for the 41st annual Baja 1000, according to NASCAR.com.
Our View: Each driver returns to his roots in his own way and that often helps restore confidence. |
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| Cameron Dodson critically injured | Thursday 11/20, 8:10 AM CT |
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Cameron Dodson, driver of a USAC team owned by NASCAR driver Carl Edwards, has been critically injured in a highway accident, according to the Associated Press.
Our View: Dodson was thrown from his car went if left the road near his home in Indiana; he was not wearing a seat belt. |
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| Smith hopeful he'll return in 2009 | Wednesday 11/19, 4:42 PM CT |
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Regan Smith is hopeful that he will return to the Cup series next year, according to SceneDaily.com, even though he has not yet been named one of the drivers in the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing stable.
Our View: Smith, along with Sam Hornish Jr., were the only two rookies to make it to the end of the season with his ride intact. |
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| More cuts for more teams | Wednesday 11/19, 11:22 AM CT |
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Petty Enterprises, The Wood Brothers, Bill Davis Racing and Ernie Elliott's engine shop all reduced their staffs in the two days since Sunday's season finale, according to NASCAR.com. This follows an announcement that Hall of Fame Racing has also made notable cuts.
Our View: One thing fantasy owners will notice, however, is that teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Racing are not listed among those scaling back massively—although they have each made small reductions. The disparity between the haves and have-nots continues to grow. |
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| HoF Racing cuts staff | Wednesday 11/19, 11:18 AM CT |
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Hall of Fame Racing has announced it will cut back on their staff, regardless of whether additional sponsorship can be found, according to NASCAR.com. Ken Schrader drove the No. 96 most of the season.
Our View: With the economy in shambles, belt-tightening is occurring everywhere. |
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| Stewart gives up lead in finale | Wednesday 11/19, 8:06 AM CT |
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Tony Stewart was forced to pit for fuel with 11 laps remaining. That ruined a "storybook ending," according to a team press release.
Our View: "We did everything we could do," said Stewart, who in 10 career starts at Homestead has five top-10 finishes. "It was awesome to be leading there with 20 laps to go and driving away from the field." |
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| Menard ends with a whimper | Tuesday 11/18, 3:17 PM CT |
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"It wasn't the finish we had hoped for in the last race of the season," Paul Menard said in a team press release, regarding his 30th-place finish in the Ford 400. "Fuel strategy definitely played out in the end."
Our View: Now it's time to refocus and set sights on 2009. Menard will join Yates Racing, where Travis Kvapil finished seventh for the same organization in the same race. |
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